Method and system for automatically evaluating physical health state using a game

ABSTRACT

A method and system for automatically evaluating the state of a user&#39;s physical health includes a game for maintaining the use&#39;s interest as he exercises and which automatically measures and evaluates the user&#39;s physical strength and health and provides an exercise prescription. The method has a game execution and measurement step performed via a main controller section with a display device, a memory and a virtual subject in the game space. Multiple standardized protocols are selected according to measurements reflected in the game and the virtual subject, reflecting an exercise state of the user on the basis of an exercise state of a reference person in the game. Measuring/reading/storing/displaying physical strength and health information occur after generating events for measuring the physical strength and health information such as particular situations, letters, sounds, voices, etc., in the game content.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a method of, and a system for,automatically evaluating physical health state using a game, and moreparticularly to a method of, and a system for, automatically evaluatingphysical health state using a game, which can automatically measure hisphysical strength and health information and evaluate his physicalstrength and health with automatic exercise prescription, while a useris exercising continuously and interestedly through a game withoutfeeling boredom.

BACKGROUND ART

Generally, the present exercise prescription is carried out on the basisof basic inquiries based on questionaires, cardiac and pulmonaryendurance power, agility, momentary power, muscular endurance power,evaluation of physical strength by evaluation of muscular power, heartrate by an electrocardiogram and its change, analysis of body fat, bloodpressure, evaluation of physical strength by maximum oxygenintake(VO₂max), etc., performed by each individual measurementapparatus, and thus it has disadvantages that systematic exerciseadministration cannot be performed and those processes are boresome.

In particular, although an apparatus for measuring physical strength andhealth information during exercise is developed, still it does notescape from boredom.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention is made in order to solve the aboveproblems, and one object of the present invention is to provide a methodof, and a system for, automatically evaluating physical health stateusing a game, which can automatically measure his physical strength andhealth information and evaluate his physical strength and health withautomatic exercise prescription, while a user is exercising continuouslyand interestedly through a game without feeling boredom.

Further, it is another object of the present invention to provide amethod and system for automatically evaluating physical health stateusing a game, wherein, in one single apparatus, various factors toenable judgement of user's physical strength and health state can beautomatically measured and evaluated, and exercise prescription can alsobe automatically performed.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a methodand system for automatically evaluating physical health state using agame, wherein, while a user is exercising through a game, user'sphysical strength and health information is automatically measured andtransmitted, and user's physical strength and health can be evaluatedusing a network with automatic exercise prescription, and furthermore,using a network, exercise can be taken through a game under competitionamong multiple persons, and thus interest and promotion of health can beachieved.

To accomplish such objects of this invention, a method of automaticallyevaluating physical health state using a game is provided in accordancewith one embodiment of the invention, in which, while a user isexercising using an exercise equipment, his physical strength and healthinformation is obtained through diverse physical strength and healthinformation sensing section, and then physical strength and healthevaluation information and/or exercise prescription information can beobtained, said method being characterized by comprising: a gameexecution and measurement step of executing a game through a maincontroller section, a display device, a memory means, etc., as a virtualsubject in the game space, multiple protocols standardized according tomeasurement requirements to be reflected in the game and said virtualsubject reflecting an exercise state of the user on the basis of anexercise state of a reference person in the game, and the step ofmeasuring/reading/storing/displaying physical strength and healthinformation naturally after generating events for measuring the physicalstrength and health information such as particular situations, letters,sounds, voices, etc., in game contents.

Furthermore, a system for automatically evaluating physical health stateusing a game is provided in accordance with another embodiment of theinvention, in which, while a user is exercising using an exerciseequipment, his physical strength and health information is obtainedthrough diverse physical strength and health information sensingsection, and then physical strength and health evaluation informationand/or exercise prescription information can be obtained, said systembeing characterized by comprising: a main controller section forcontrolling the physical strength and health information sensingsection, a display device, a memory means, etc., so as to execute a gameand measurement step for measuring/reading/storing/displaying physicalstrength and health information from the physical strength and healthinformation sensing section naturally after generating events formeasuring the physical strength and health information such asparticular situations, letters, sounds, voices, etc., in the gamecontents, while executing a game templated as a virtual subject in thegame reflecting an exercise state of the user on the basis of anexercise state of a reference person in the game so as to enableexecution of the game through the display device by exercising by meansof the exercise equipment and measurement of the physical strength andhealth information, and so as to measure/read/store/display the physicalstrength and health information in connection with the game execution;and a load adjustment section controlled by the main controller sectionso as to adjust load of the exercise equipment according to at leastproceeding states of the game.

Still furthermore, the present invention enables automatized physicalstrength and health evaluation and exercise prescription by enabling tomeasure every physiological variable concisely in the state ofunconsciousness with adding a game factor to be a game execution byexercise, and can realize a system which a basic question, physicalstrength and health evaluation, exercise prescription, and an exercisefor promotion of health can be performed in a single system,respectively or all together, thereby achieving effective healthadministration. The embodiment of the present invention is also appliedto an exercise equipment of a bike type, which does not limit the scopeof the present invention. The bike has one advantage that it can removean emergency situation occurring in a running machine and the protocolcan be applied and can be evaluated with low load and by the sameanalogy in measuring every physiological variable for evaluating thephysical strength and health as compared with the conventionalmeasurement protocols.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates main construction of a system with the appearance forperforming a method of automatically evaluating physical health stateusing a game in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a system for automatically evaluatingphysical health state using a game, with removing exercise equipmentparts in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates construction, in accordance with one embodiment ofFIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating the whole construction in accordancewith one embodiment of a method of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a concrete flow chart for a physical strength evaluationmodule in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a concrete flow chart for a game execution and measurementmodule in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 shows a sample screen for construction of a game for embodyingthe present invention.

FIG. 8 illustrates construction for explaining a process of exerciseprescription in FIG. 4.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of construction for embodying one method inaccordance with the present invention using a network.

FIG. 10 shows schematical construction as one example of a graspingpower measurement means and a body fat measurement means for embodyingthe present invention.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing one sample construction for measuringagility in accordance with the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Now, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be describedin detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In this specifications, physical strength and health information means aterm including all kinds of physical physiological health information,health information according to physical strength(physical strengthinformation), all kinds of health information related to a user's bodysuch as heart rate, respiration volume, blood pressure, weight, oxygenvolume saturated in blood, momentum or exercise speed(running speed,etc.,) according to a user's exercise state, agility, momentary power,muscular power, softness, equilibrium, muscular endurance power, cardiacand pulmonary endurance power, NIBP, VO₂, change in heart rate,cooperation ability of body organs, etc. Physical strength and healthevaluation information to be discriminated from the above term means aresult obtained about a user's health degree by analyzing the physicalstrength and health information. For example, in a user whose weight isheavier as compared with his age, the user's age and weight belong tothe physical strength and health information and fatness, while if it isjudged on the basis of these, belongs to the physical strength andhealth evaluation information.

First, FIG. 2 shows, as a block diagram, basic construction of aautomatic physical strength evaluation and exercise system 100.

The automatic physical strength evaluation and exercise system 100 inFIG. 2 comprises an exercise equipment 10, a main controller section 20,a display device 30, a memory means 40, a physical strength and healthinformation sensing section 50 and a load adjustment section 80.

The exercise equipment 10 may include, but is not limited to, a healthbike shown as an example in FIG. 1. Physical strength and healthinformation according to user's exercise is sensed in the physicalstrength and health information sensing section 50. The sensed and readphysical strength and health information is transmitted to the maincontroller section 20, which analyzes the physical strength and healthinformation, generates physical strength and health evaluationinformation about user's health state, and diagnoses the user's healthstate. The generated physical strength and health evaluation informationis displayed in the display device 30.

Furthermore, the user executes a predetermined game stored in the memorymeans 40 while being exercising, in order not to feel bordom. Referringto FIG. 7, a reference person 1 and a virtual subject 2 to reflectuser's momentum appear in the game, the virtual subject 2 or thereference person 1 being able to have any figure which can induce user'sinterest according to the conventional art, such as diverse characters,interesting animal figures, etc. Also, the user can take pictures of hisown diverse figures using an image camera 36 in order to make his ownappearance displayed as the virtual subject 2 to reflect the user'smomentum(exercise speed). Further, it is possible to compose apredetermined background scene and his exercising appearance using achroma-key method. a user can exercise with other users by means of anetwork 95 such as an internet, etc., instead the exercising togetherwith the reference person 1, which system will be explained in detail inconnection with FIG. 9.

A button input device 35 is provided so that the user may select adesired menu among diverse menus for diverse health measurement. Asinformation to be able to be inputted through the button input device35, there will be a diagnosis by questions about a health state, etc.The button input device 35 may comprise a selection button in the middleand a cancel button and a movement button in the left and right sides,as shown in FIG. 1. Also, a Keyboard and/or a mouse can be included asshown in FIG. 3, in order to input information such as a member ID, apassword, a name, a resident registration number, sex, age, weight,height, etc. The main controller section 20 may comprise diverse menusto enable a diagnosis of the user's health state, and the physicalstrength and health information read in the physical strength and healthinformation sensing section 50 according to the menus. The followingexample is explained so as to facilitate understanding of the invention.

The physical strength and health information sensing section 50 maycomprise diverse measurement modules, an example of which is shown inFIGS. 1 and 3. The physical strength and health information sensingsection 50 is installed in the exercise equipment 10, and thus it isadvantageous that information about the user's self exercise state canbe measured simultaneously with the user's exercising and withoutmeasuring health or exercise information separately.

For example, the weight scales may be provided in a saddle or afootboard of the exercise equipment 10. Then, user's weight can bemeasured by getting up or sitting on the exercise equipment 10, suchmeasured user's weight being transmitted to the main controller section20. Further, a body fat measurement means 52 for measuring the user'sfatness, as shown in detail in FIG. 10, may be installed in a handle 11of the exercise equipment 10. By installing the body fat measurementmeans 52 in the handle 11, user's fatness can advantageously be measuredthe during the exercise without any necessity to measure it separately.

The main controller section 20 provides the physical strength and healthevaluation information aftering executing diagnosis about the user'shealth state on the basis of the transmitted physical strength andhealth information. For example, whether to be fat or not can beanalyzed by only two pieces of physical strength and health informationregarding body fat and weight. The more diverse the physical strengthand health information to be read in the physical strength and healthinformation sensing section 50 is, the more diverse is the physicalstrength and health information to be able to diagnose in the maincontroller section 20. For example, the main controller section 20 cancalculate the rotation number of a bike wheel or a pedal and theexercise distance while the user exercises for around 12 minutes, and aBroker index(weight/(height−100)=100: 90-100: normal; 101-119: fat; 120or the above: severe fat) can be calculated using the user's weight andheight inputted through the button input device 35. Further, the bodyfat can be calculated using the bioelectric resistance analysis method,and the heart rate by an electrocardiogram and its change, agility abouthow fast the user responds to the given situation, etc., can bemeasured.

In FIG. 1, main construction of a system with the appearance forperforming a method of automatically evaluating physical health stateusing a game in accordance with the present invention is illustrated,and in FIG. 3, one example construction in accordance with oneembodiment of FIG. 2 is illustrated.

In FIGS. 1 and 3, a system for physical strength evaluation, exerciseprescription, and health promotion comprises mainly three parts of themain controller section 20 like a computer system, the exerciseequipment 10 and several measurement means 51, 52, 53, 54 and 55 of thephysical strength and health information sensing section 50 with theload adjustment section 80, and the controller 60.

The computer system comprises a memory means 40 of every program anddata such as a hard disk, a ZIP drive, a CD ROM drive 42, etc., and maycomprise a backup means and/or a database server, and also the displaydevice 30 such as a TFT LCD module, an image camera 36, a speaker 31, asmart card reader/writer 41, and a microphone(omitted in the drawings)as connected peripheral devices.

Various measurement means 51, 52, 53, 54 and 55 of the exerciseequipment 10 comprise a electrocardiogram measurement means 51 as onebiosignal measurement sensor for health diagnosis, a body fatmeasurement means 52 located at the handle part for analyzing body fat,a grasping power measurement means 53 of a handle type similar to a bikebrake for evaluating muscular power, a blood pressure measurement means54, an oxygen intake measurement means 55 of a flow sensor for detectingmaximum oxygen intake etc., and the button input device 35 is utilizedto evaluate agility. The load adjustment section 80 for adjusting driveload of the exercise equipment 10 comprises a load adjustment apparatus81 and a load control module 82(shown in FIG. 3). In FIG. 1, the maincontroller section 20, the controller 60 and the load adjustment section80 are dispersedly installed in the apparatus part of the exerciseequipment 10, but the controller 60 and a load control module 82 of theload adjustment section 80 can also be installed in the inside of themain controller section 20 in an interface card form of an ISA or a PCItype.

The main controller section 20 or a computer system, separately storedvarious measurement means(see FIG. 1: 51, 54 and 55) of the exerciseequipment, and the controller are communicated with four serial ports 65using cables. Each communication is also constructed so as tocommunicate with a sub-controller 61 or a controller of the threebuttons for confirming agility and proceeding questions, a bloodpressure measurement module 63, the smart card reader/writer 41, and theload control module 82 for controlling drive load of the bike

Each construction of every measurement means 51, 52, 53, 54 and 55 aredescribed hereinafter.

The grasping power measurement means 53, as shown in FIG. 10, cancomprise a load cell as a structure similar to a brake of the bike, andpreferrably, is constructed so as to prevent dispersion of the power tobe capable of being caused when a left side and a right side areseparate and measurement occurs concurrently, thereby achieving exactmeasurement. Through such grasping power measurement, the evaluation ofa muscular power can be achieved.

In the electrocardiogram measurement means 51 of a high class, threeleads are used and monitored from the beginning to the end of themeasurement, presenting heart rate at stabilized time, maximum heartrate and heart rate at recovering time and being utilized for evaluatingcardiac and pulmonary capability. In case of a low class,after-described body fat measurement means 52 can be used for combineduse.

The body fat measurement means 52, as shown in FIG. 10, is installed atthe handle 11 at which the grasping power measurement means 53 islocated, and is performed by measuring a bio-impedance using total fourcontact points consisting of two contact points at opposite hands,thereby evaluating fatness degree.

The oxygen intake measurement means 55 comprises a spirometer of anoxigen mask shape, measuring maximum oxigen intake and using forevaluating cardiac and pulmonary endurance power.

Meanwhile, the button input device 35 is utilized for examining agility.The examination of agility can be achieved, differently from the generalmethods, by pressing the button responsive to an event given bypresenting abrupt situation on a screen, as shown in FIG. 11, whiledisplaying a game and evaluating physical strength, that is, by beingestablished so that management on the situation is performed. In thiscase, agility is evaluated by a time difference between an outbreak ofthe event and the pressing action of the button. Preferably, suchsituations are presented several times on the game space for evaluatingthe physical power, and at each time the pressing speed of the user(aresponse speed against the presented situation) are repeatedly measured,from which error factors(for example, considering maximum/minimum rangeor constant range) are removed and an average value is obtained.

Furthermore, the load of the exercise equipment 10 is adjusted accordingto the kind, the level and the proceeding state of the game. The presentinvention is constructed so that the user may follow a precedingreference person 1 in a templated game, and the load adjustment section80 comprises a load adjustment apparatus 81 and its load control module82 so as to adjust load of the pedal according to each differentsituation(adjustment of inclination, ground surface state, etc.,) givenby stages of the protocol to be displayed on a screen. Further, the loadadjustment apparatus 81 may consist of a common brake device, or may beconstructed diversely such as changing of gears, or inclination of theexercise equipment 10.

Meanwhile, by comprising a smart card reader/writer 41, the presentinvention can be constructed so as to store user's personal informationand the present information of physical strength and health statethrough his recent measurement result and achieve a continuousadministration of the user's information and exercise. First, thepersonal information is stored through the smart card reader/writer 41,the result just before the present measurement at every measurement isshown, and the change in the physical strength and every physiologicalvariable is written in other memory means 40(other backup device, a harddisk, a ZIP drive, a CD ROM, a database) and administered, therebyenabling to construct the present invention so that an administration ofa systematic momentum and an exercise method may be performed.

Furthermore, the image camera 36 may be used for purposes comprising amethod showing a screen briefly after storing user's appearance beforeexecuting measurement, a method using the stored appearance asinformation constructing the virtual subject 2 reflecting the user inthe game environment, an image chatting in the virtual space connectedwith a network such as LAN, etc., a service on the network to use aseries of image cameras with an internet phone, etc. A speaker can beused at the same time with an image camera, a microphone, etc., forvarious guidances assisting measurement of the user or an internetphone, an image voice chatting, etc., through the network such as LAN,etc. The microphone can be used for an answer to the questions, etc.,voice orders for various actions, an image voice chatting, etc.

In FIG. 4, the whole construction in accordance with one embodiment of amethod of the present invention is illustrated as a flow chart, and inFIG. 5, a concrete flow chart for a physical strength evaluation modulein FIG. 4 is illustrated. Also, in FIG. 6, a concrete flow chart for agame execution and measurement module in FIG. 5 is illustrated as anexample.

In FIG. 4, a method of automatically evaluating physical strength withexercise using the automatic physical strength evaluation and exercisesystem 100 of the present invention, may mainly comprise the steps ofasking basic questions, evaluating physical strength according tomeasuring protocol, prescribing exercise using the physical strengthevaluation, and exercising for promoting health with achievingbio-feedback of various physiological variables after the exerciseprescription, in steps S1 to S4.

In step S11 of FIG. 5, the user or the measured person registers as amember and receives a member card. On issuing the member card, variousbody information such as height, weight, age, girth, etc., is stored ina database 44.

The question of health may comprise steps 1 and 2. The step 1 classifiesa healthy person, a diabetic, a hypertensive, a cardiac disorderpatient, a muscle and skeleton disorder patient, etc., through basicquestions, which are used as materials for removing dangerous factors tobe able to occur on the physical strength evaluation and for judging thehealth state. The step 2 provides with different questions by healthy orvarious disorder patients, and then detailed classification about thestage of health is performed. That is, by using a classification(man,woman, the old and the weak) obtained from the physical information of apatient inputted in the beginning and a classification item(healthypatient and various disorder patients) divided by the basic questions,physical strength evaluation protocol proper for each individual can beprovided, or certain or all measurement of physical strength evaluationcan be prohibited for various disorder patients, thereby being able toremove dangerous factors(various factors of danger in life or physicalfunctions) to be able to occur on the physical strength evaluation.Also, there is an effect to be able to induce hospital treatment becausea diagnosis of disease can be made by means of relationship amongvarious physiological variables obtained by such information andphysical strength evaluation.

The question of health can be made by a method of writing directly onvarious questionaires or a method of performing various input(byoperation of the button input device 35 or a mouse, confirmation byvoice, other various kinds of inputting methods) of the user or thepatient as to the questions, which are displayed in order or totally onthe display device 30(a TFT LCD, a CRT Monitor, etc.) in the presentsystem, or explained by voice.

In the physical strength(physical strength related to health andexercise) evaluation of step S2 in FIG. 4, various questions are madefor evaluating basic physical strength evaluation displayed on thescreen in step 13 in FIG. 5, and, then various physiological variableswill be measured as the following order. That is, measurement of bodyfat for 10-15 seconds, measurement of blood pressure(at stabilizedtime), measurement of heart rate(at stabilized time) and measurement ofleft and right muscular strength, as physical strength and healthinformation which should be measured besides the above questions or isconvenient to measure before application of measurement protocol for agame execution and measurement step of step 17 are made in step S14 toS16 in FIG. 5.

In step S17 of FIG. 5, the game execution and measurement step accordingto the present invention is executed, for instance, for 8 minutes,wherein measurement of the physical strength and health information suchas heart rate, oxygen intake, agility, momentary power, muscularendurance power, and cardiac and pulmonary endurance power is made,which should be measured during performing a game reflecting multipleprotocols standardized according to measurement requirements. In suchprotocols of measurement, when a kind and a level of a game isdetermined in step S31 and images of the virtual subject 2 and/or thereference person 1 are selected in step S32, the determined game isexecuted in step S33, as shown in FIG. 6 for example. In step S34, thecorresponding events for physical strength and health information whichshould be measured continuously during the game are generatedcontinuously, and then the measuring results are stored and displayed.In the event that the measurement is impossible, up-or-down adjustmentin a level of the game can be induced.

In step S35, load of the exercise equipment 10 is adjusted by means ofthe load control module 82 and the load adjustment apparatus 81 of theload adjustment section 80 according to kinds, levels and proceedingstates of the game. In step S36, the exercise speed of the measuredperson or the user is measured by means of a momentum sensing means 83such as rpm sensor, etc., and reflected by the virtual subject 2 in thegame. In common, the user's momentum can be known from added load andsensed exercise speed. Such momentum sensing means 83 can be included bythe load adjustment section 80 and a momentum signal such as theexercise speed, etc., to be sensed can be supplied to the maincontroller section 20 through the load control module 82. Otherwise, themomentum sensing means 83 can be included by the physical strength andhealth information sensing section 50 and the momentum signal can alsobe supplied through the sub-controller 61.

Even in this event, when the user's exercise goes off the range ofmomentum(speed) proper for the kind, the level and the proceeding stateof the game in step S37 above prescribed times since the speed is toofast or slow, it is preferable to induce so as to up-or-down adjust thelevel of the game.

Then, in step S39, events for physical strength and health informationwhich should be measured one time or several times during the game aregenerated one time or several times, and then the physical strength andhealth information is measured, which is stored in the memory means 40and displayed in: the display device 30. Even in this event, when themeasurement is impossible, it is preferable to induce so as toup-or-down adjust the level of the game.

When the events for every measurement are finished by repeating suchevent generation(step S40), events for physical strength and healthinformation, such as momentary power, etc., which should be measuredafter finishing the game execution are generated in step S41 and thephysical strength and health information is stored and/or displayedafter being measured. Then the game is finished after performingfinishing exercise, for example, for 1 minute in step S42. In step S18of FIG. 5, after finishing application of the measurement protocol asabove, measurement of blood pressure at recovering time is made, and instep S19, evaluation of physical strength according to measurementprotocols as above is performed. In step S20, exerciseprescription(corresponding to step S3 in FIG. 4) through the physicalstrength evaluation is performed, and exercise for promoting healthaccording to automatic exercise prescription can be executed. At thistime, as explained in connection with step S4 of FIG. 4, it ispreferable that bio-feed back of various physiological variables afterthe exercise prescription.

As described in the above, the basic physical strength and healthevaluation comprises one part achieved using the game to effectivelyshow various protocols obtained by preceding input of physicalinformation and answers to the questions of health, and other partachieved by taking a series of action in the present system according tooutput means provided in the present system or the output means andvarious voice guidance. Information about cardiac and pulmonaryendurance power(heart rate), agility(pressing of buttons) and momentarypower(can be obtained by performing maximum exercise for a short period,for instance, the momentary power=W=0.065=N/T, where load is equal toW=0.065, W is weight, N is the number of rotation, and T is a time takenin performing one rotation of a pedal) can be obtained through theformer. Through the latter, information about muscular strength(graspingpower), fatness degree(body fat) and cardiac and pulmonary endurancepower(can be obtained from blood pressure and heart rate or F=N, where Fis average load applied to the exercise equipment 10, and N is thenumber of rotation of the exercise equipment 10) can be obtained. Thatis, in the order of physical strength and health evaluation, measurementof body fat, blood pressure at stabilized time, heart rate and muscularpower are performed, and then while the user is performing a gamecontaining effectively various protocols to be applied to the measuredperson or the user for a prescribed time(for instance, 8 minutes),information about heart rate, oxygen intake, agility, momentary power,muscular endurance power, cardiac and pulmonary endurance power can beobtained using the game.

The game may be constructed with various configuration(various stagesreflecting various environments, degree of difficulty, etc.) whichvarious protocols can be applied to. The virtual subject 2 to beindicated reflecting the measured person and the reference person 1 toproceed are appeared inside of two or three dimensional spacerepresenting in the output means. The present invention is embodied tothe bike for removing various measurement danger factors. Change inheart rate on measurement is measured by a method in which threeelectrodes are attached to the body with simplified three lead type ofelectrocardiograph or by a method in which hands are in contact withelectrodes located at the handle part to measure the grasping power andthe body fat.

If physical strength and health evaluation begins, certain measurementwhich a game is not reflected to is performed, and then, the measuredperson executes a game which certain protocols for the user arereflected to by the above-mentioned method. If the game begins, themeasured person perceives the reference person 1 to proceed at a certainspeed and the virtual subject 2 to reflect a state of himself in theoutput means concurrently, and proceeds the game by rotating the pedalof the system in order to follow the virtual subject inside of the game.During the game proceeding, the speed of the reference person 1 can begiven to be constant, but, diverse load environment is provided for themeasured person by adjusting load of the pedal according to various gameenvironments(various environmental changes to be able to expect anincrease of load such as a rising hill, a sand road, etc.,) representingvarious protocols. Further, each speed of the measured person to bechanged continuously during measurement and each load at certain pointscan be used in calculation of work made during the whole measurement andcalculation of other various measurement. That is, the measured personrotates the pedal fast or slow according to the game, thereby increasingor decreasing the speed of the virtual subject 2 to reflect himself inthe game by reflecting the pedal ratation speed. The agility isevaluated by calculating response time using a time difference betweenan outbreak of the event and an input of the measured person where theparticular event is presented and the measured person takes one ofvarious input types for solving this event when the game is executed forprescribed time. It is preferable to repeat such similar events and toobtain an average value

In FIG. 8, construction for explaining the process of exerciseprescription in FIG. 4 is shown.

Through the basic questions, the degree of the physical strength andhealth evaluation can be determined. In the case it is difficult toevaluate the physical strength and health because the measured personsuffer from sever disease, the danger factors can be preventedbeforehand. In the physical strength and health evaluation, men, womenand the old and the weak are classified, and different protocol isapplied, in which gradual increase and decrease of load per the totaltime is applied differently. When the physical strength and healthevaluation is finished, measured physiological variables are analyzedsynthetically, and a synthetical physical strength and ability index, anexercise-related physical strength index, a health-related physicalstrength index, etc., are presented with being classified into 15stages. Also, health age related to these is presented and analysisopinion is made. By doing as above, it is possible to analyzeautomatically by means of objectified materials through an applicationof analysis template for the physical strength and health evaluation.

In the exercise prescription, by analyzing the measured physiologicalvariables synthetically after the physical strength and healthevaluation is performed, a synthetical physical strength and abilityindex, an exercise-related physical strength index, and a health-relatedphysical strength index are presented with being classified intomultiple stages. Also, health age related to these and analysis opinionare presented on the output means or in a output form. As shown in FIG.8, the exercise prescription is performed according to the followingflow after evaluating the physical information of the measured person,question examination materials and the various physiological variablesobtained through the game synthetically, and is calssified into, forinstance, a health group, a danger group, a disease group and anexercise-prohibition group.

In this event, the exercise prescription proper according to eachclassified group is made. Presented exercise prescription is generalexercise(walking, jogging, running, swimming, etc.), exercise usinggeneral health apparatus(a running machine, a health bike, variousmuscle power advance apparatus, etc.), and/or games using the system inaccordance with the present invention. The game may be a series oftemplate type game predetermined according to the various exerciseprescription for the measured person, said game being in a single gametype or a complex game type. The game to be applied according to theexercise prescription is discriminated in the present system andprovided, or taken in the form of reflecting sports or game elementswhich the user prefers. The game may be executed according to the fixedexercise prescription or may be provided in the form of being able toremove dangerous factors capable of occurring during exercising byreflecting change of the various physiological variables(heart rate andits chage, maximum oxygen intake, etc.) fed back continuously throughthe game.

Health promotion exercise can be arranged using the system of thepresent invention according to each exercise prescription related tofatness, strengthening of cardiac and pulmonary capability,strengthening of muscle and articulation function, and promotion ofgrowth with basic exercise(walking, running, bicycle, etc.). Such healthpromotion exercise step can also be performed by raising the level ofthe reference person 1 in the game, and moreover by presenting acompetitor in the game using a network.

In FIG. 9, construction for embodying one method in accordance with thepresent invention using a network is illustrated as a block diagram.

With such construction of the network, a health adminstration server 90can also provide each individual health adminstration service, and inthis event, each client comprises the automatic physical strengthevaluation and exercise system 100 and a connecting means. The healthadminstration server 90 is preferably constructed so as to build up andutilize a database for each member by means of a separate memory means91. A database management server may also be comprised. By suchconstructions, it is possible to transmit the physical strength andhealth information from the automatic physical strength evaluation andexercise system 100 to the health adminstration server 90, and receivethe physical strength and health evaluation information and the exerciseprescription information from the health adminstration server 90 in theautomatic physical strength evaluation and exercise system 100. Inaddition, each data, update programs, etc., can be provided. Provisionof a display device 92 and a key input device 93 for the automaticphysical strength evaluation and exercise system 100 facilitates diverseremote health administration by an administrator and/or a specialist.Further, in the above-mentioned game execution and measurement step, theclassification of the user's health state is analyzed and, if anabnormal state or a change in the abnormal state is generated, theabnormal state or the change in the abnormal state is informed to aphysician in charge by means of wired or wireless communication, andthus the physician in charge can take necessary measures through wiredor wireless communication after analyzing the user's health/physicalstrength state precisely. It is also possible that the user's physicalstrength and health information and/or physical strength and healthevaluation information is reported to the physician in charge or anexercise(nutrition) prescription specialist through a network 95 such asan internet, etc., and to the health adminstration server 90 so as to bedelivered to, and analyzed by, the physician in charge or anexercise(nutrition) prescription specialist. Also, information on thepresent physical state and ID, recent exercise prescription and a stateof recently practiced exercise can be stored in a smart card in the formof an XML(eXtensible Markup Language) data format, etc. The most recentinformation can also be stored by means of synchronization of theautomatic physical strength evaluation and exercise system 100 and adatabase server of the XML or a relation type connected to the healthadminstration server 90 directly or via a internet.

Also, by connecting two or more competitioners and presenting them asmultiple competition subjects of the game on each display, they canshare the virtual space of the game, and promote each health throughinterest and competition. Even in this event, preferably the healthadminstration server 90 is constructed so that clients may be selectedas competitioners by level or by classification. For this, each momentumor exercise speed of each client(even between the clients executing thedifferent games) is reflected in the competition subjects of the game bybeing transmitted to each other, and thus competition with each othercan be made.

According to the configuration and acting of the method of, and thesystem for, automatically evaluating physical health state using a gamein accordance with the embodiments of the present invention describedabove, the user's physical strength and health information can beautomatically measured during his exercising, and his physical strengthand health with exercise prescription can be automatically analyzed andevaluated, while the user is exercising continuously and interestedlythrough a game without feeling boredom. Also, various physical strengthand health information, etc., to enable judgement of user's physicalstrength and health state can be automatically measured and evaluatedwith exercise prescription in one single apparatus. Furthermore, whilethe user is exercising through the game, the user's physical strengthand health information can be automatically measured and transmittedusing the network, and the user's physical strength and health can beevaluated with exercise prescription using the network, and using thenetwork, exercise can be taken through a game under competition amongmultiple persons, and thus interest and promotion of health can beachieved.

1. A method of automatically evaluating physical health of a user whilethe user is exercising using exercise equipment (10) having a sensorsection (50) for sensing physical strength and a plurality of kinds ofhealth information of the user, a main controller section (20) forexecuting a game with a game space for the user to perform and includinga virtual subject (2) simulating the user and a reference person (1) inthe game space, the controller section also capable of generatingphysical strength and health evaluation information based on thephysical strength and plurality of kinds of health information sensed bythe sensor section, the equipment also including a display device (30)for displaying information to the user and a memory means (40) forstoring sensed information, evaluation information and the game, themethod comprising: executing the game through the main controllersection, display device and memory means for generating events of thegame to test the users physical strength and health; measuring andstoring the physical strength and plurality of kinds of healthinformation of the user resulting from the events using the sensorsection; causing the virtual subject to reflect an exercise state of theuser based on the sensed physical strength and kinds of healthinformation, and on a plurality of protocols for the game based on anexercise state of the reference person; and generating and storingevaluation information based on the sensed physical strength and kindsof health information using the controller section and memory means. 2.A method according to claim 1, wherein said executing and measuringsteps comprise at least one of measuring, reading, storing anddisplaying the physical strength and health information at least onceper event or continuously during the game while generating the eventscontinuously; adjusting loads presented to the user of the exerciseequipment by means of a load adjustment section (80) according to kinds,levels and proceeding states of the game; and up-or-down adjusting alevel of the game and restating the game when the measuring is outside aselected range that is indicative of the user going outside a range ofmotion that is proper for measurement of the physical strength andhealth information according to a kind of game, a level of the game anda state of the game.
 3. A method according to claim 1, includingproviding a remote health administration service by connecting to ahealth administration server (90) through a network (95), transmittingthe physical strength and health information to the healthadministration server, and receiving the physical strength and healthevaluation information, and exercise prescription informationcorresponding to the physical strength and health evaluation informationfrom the health administration server.
 4. A method according to claim 1,including reporting to a physician in charge, an abnormal state or achange in an abnormal state of the evaluation information based on thesensed physical strength and kinds of health information of the user, bymeans of wired or wireless communication, the physician in charge takingcorrective measures through wired or wireless communication afteranalyzing the user's stats.
 5. A method according to claim 1, includingreporting at least one of the user's physical strength and healthinformation and health evaluation information to a physician in chargeor an exercise prescription specialist through a network (95) and ahealth administration server (90) so as to be analyzed by the physicianin charge or the exercise prescription specialist.
 6. A method accordingto claim 1, including, before said game executing and measuring step, atleast one of the steps of: selecting at least one of a game kind andlevel considering the user's sex, age, infirmity, or physical state;selecting an image for at least one of the virtual subject (2) and thereference person (1) among images inputted through a camera (36) orstored picture images; and measuring at least some physical strength andhealth information before said game executing step; and after said gameexecuting end measuring steps, at least one of the steps of: measuring,reading, storing and displaying physical strength and healthinformation, such as momentary power, which should be measured after thegame, with generating the corresponding events after the game;evaluating the user's physical strength and health by providing physicalstrength and heath evaluation information on the basis of an analysismap of a database constructed by software after finishing measuring thephysical strength and health information and analyzing the physicalstrength and health information synthetically, said physical strengthend health evaluation information being classified into multiple stagesof at least one of a synthetical physical strength and ability index, anexercise-related physical strength index, and a health-related physicalstrength index; prescribing an exercise by selecting and presentingexercise prescription information corresponding to the physical strengthand health evaluation information from a database (43), said database(43) being classified by level on the basis of items of the physicalstrength and health evaluation information and constructed by differentgames with different degrees of difficulty; and before said exerciseprescribing step, at least one of the steps of: answering basicquestions for the user; and reading personal physical strength andhealth information from a smart card or the memory means (40) or storingpersonal physical strength and health information at the smart card ormemory means (40).
 7. A system for automatically evaluating physicalhealth state of a user while the user is exercising, comprising:exercise equipment (10) for use in testing a user's physical strengthand health information; a sensor section (50) for sensing physicalstrength and health information of the user using the exerciseequipment, from which physical strength and health evaluationinformation or exercise prescription information is be obtained; a maincontroller section (20) for controlling the physical strength and healthinformation sensor section (50); a display device (30): memory means(40) for storing a game to be executed with the exercise equipment, thephysical strength and health information and the physical strength andhealth evaluation information or exercise prescription information, forexecution of the game and for measurement steps for at least one of:measuring, reading, storing, and displaying the physical strength andhealth information from the physical strength and health informationsensor section (50) after events are generated for measuring thephysical strength and health information; the main controller sectionpresenting content to the user while executing the game as a virtualsubject (2) in the game, reflecting an exercise state of the user on thebasis of an exercise stats of a reference person (1) in the game and soas to enable execution of the game through the display device (30) byexercising by means of the exercise equipment (10) and measurement ofthe physical strength and health information; and a load adjustmentsection (80) controlled by the main controller section (20) so as toadjust load of the exercise equipment (10) according to at leastproceeding states of the game.
 8. A system according to claim 7, whereinsaid physical strength and health information sensor section (50)comprising: at least one of: a button input device (35) for judgingagility; an electrocardiogram measurement means (51); a body fatmeasurement means (52); a grasping power measurement means (53); a bloodpressure measurement means (54); a oxygen intake measurement means (55);and a momentum sensing means (83); and a controller (60) comprising atleast one of a sub-controller (61), a blood pressure measurement module(63), and an oxygen intake measurement module (64), for controlling soas to transmit the physical strength and health information sensed inthe sensor section to the main controller section (20).
 9. A systemaccording to claim 8, wherein said exercise equipment (10) comprises abrake handle (11) with the electrocardiogram measurement means (51),body fat measurement means (52), and grasping power measurement means(53).